The Election Commission of India is “encouraged” by high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir and will move towards holding assembly polls in the Union Territory “at the earliest”, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said.In a first such statement, the CEC told ET that ECI was “heartened” and “more confident” of holding polls in the Union Territory and would start work on it right after the Lok Sabha elections.”The commission is encouraged to go for assembly polls in the Union Territory at the earliest possible. For the same, the process will be initiated soon after parliamentary elections,” Kumar told ET.”While I would like to thank the electors of J&K for coming out to vote, they have also sent out a clear message. The people of J&K are eager to exercise their franchise and feel invested in the democratic ethos and system of governance. The poll panel is deeply encouraged by the voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls and will work towards holding assembly polls at the earliest,” he said.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe CEC’s reaction came hours after Baramulla parliamentary constituency reported a record turnout on Monday. Phase 4 turnout in Srinagar constituency at 38.49% was highest in many decades.In his March 16 press conference when schedules for Lok Sabha elections were announced, CEC had asserted that ECI was committed to holding assembly polls in J&K soon after the parliamentary polls and before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court.
Tag: Rajiv Kumar
-
Five assembly elections: Polling from Nov 7- 30, counting on Dec 3
By Online Desk
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for holding assembly elections in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.
The election in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases – the first stage of voting will be held on November 7. The second phase will be held on November 17. Legislative elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 17. Legislative elections in Mizoram will be on November 7. Rajasthan will go to polls on November 23 and Telangana on November 30 in a single phase.
Counting of votes in all five states will be held on December 3, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced at a press conference.
The Assembly elections this year are extremely significant as they come just months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and will reflect the mood of the electorate in the run-up to the general elections.
Check out the poll schedule for #AssemblyElections2023 of Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, which begins on November 7. The counting is on December 3.READ: https://t.co/eQvzokjbVc pic.twitter.com/KnZF8HdWIn
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) October 9, 2023
At present, there is a BJP government in Madhya Pradesh led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have Congress governments led by Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel respectively.Telangana, on the other hand, has the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao whereas the Mizo National Front (MNF), a BJP ally, is in power in Mizoram.
The terms of the legislative assemblies in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are set to conclude on various dates in January 2024, while the term of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly will end on December 17 this year.
SCHEDULE for Legislative Assembly Elections of #MIZORAM, #CHHATTISGARH, #MADHYAPRADESH, #RAJASTHAN & #TELANGANA#ECI #AssemblyElections2023 #MCC #ElectionSchedule pic.twitter.com/BYgfPvA672
— Election Commission of India #SVEEP (@ECISVEEP) October 9, 2023
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar addresses a press conference in Delhi
We have met all stakeholders, including political parties and enforcement agencies, ahead of five assembly polls: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Election Commission has given special emphasis on making electoral rolls inclusive, focus will be on roll-to-poll conversion: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Election Seizure Management System being introduced for five assembly polls for enhancing oversight for inducement-free elections: EC.
940 checkposts in place for strict vigil on interstate borders and to dry up inflow of illicit liquor, cash, freebies and drugs: EC
Zero tolerance towards use of money power; strict vigil over suspicious online cash transfers through wallets: EC on five assembly polls
Election Commission to decide on J-K elections at right time, keeping in mind security situation and other elections there: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Announcements of freebies always have ‘tadka’ of populism, public has right to know from where freebies will come: CEC Rajiv Kumar.The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for holding assembly elections in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.
The election in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases – the first stage of voting will be held on November 7. The second phase will be held on November 17. Legislative elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 17. Legislative elections in Mizoram will be on November 7. Rajasthan will go to polls on November 23 and Telangana on November 30 in a single phase.
Counting of votes in all five states will be held on December 3, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar announced at a press conference.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The Assembly elections this year are extremely significant as they come just months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and will reflect the mood of the electorate in the run-up to the general elections.
Check out the poll schedule for #AssemblyElections2023 of Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, which begins on November 7. The counting is on December 3.
READ: https://t.co/eQvzokjbVc pic.twitter.com/KnZF8HdWIn
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) October 9, 2023
At present, there is a BJP government in Madhya Pradesh led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have Congress governments led by Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel respectively.Telangana, on the other hand, has the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao whereas the Mizo National Front (MNF), a BJP ally, is in power in Mizoram.
The terms of the legislative assemblies in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are set to conclude on various dates in January 2024, while the term of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly will end on December 17 this year.
SCHEDULE for Legislative Assembly Elections of #MIZORAM, #CHHATTISGARH, #MADHYAPRADESH, #RAJASTHAN & #TELANGANA#ECI #AssemblyElections2023 #MCC #ElectionSchedule pic.twitter.com/BYgfPvA672
— Election Commission of India #SVEEP (@ECISVEEP) October 9, 2023
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar addresses a press conference in Delhi
We have met all stakeholders, including political parties and enforcement agencies, ahead of five assembly polls: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Election Commission has given special emphasis on making electoral rolls inclusive, focus will be on roll-to-poll conversion: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Election Seizure Management System being introduced for five assembly polls for enhancing oversight for inducement-free elections: EC.
940 checkposts in place for strict vigil on interstate borders and to dry up inflow of illicit liquor, cash, freebies and drugs: EC
Zero tolerance towards use of money power; strict vigil over suspicious online cash transfers through wallets: EC on five assembly polls
Election Commission to decide on J-K elections at right time, keeping in mind security situation and other elections there: CEC Rajiv Kumar.
Announcements of freebies always have ‘tadka’ of populism, public has right to know from where freebies will come: CEC Rajiv Kumar. -
Lawyer who filed PILs against Hemant Soren arrested in Kolkata
By ANI
KOLKATA: Rajiv Kumar, the lawyer who had filed a PIL against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren over corruption, was arrested by the Kolkata Police Detective Department (DD) on charges of allegedly duping people of money.
Police said he was picked up from a bar under the Hare Street police station area executing a warrant issued against him by the Jharkhand Police.
Police claim he was arrested in a cheating case lodged against him in Jharkhand. Police found cash amounting to Rs 50 lakh with him.
As per information, he had got one PIL filed in Ranchi High Court against one Kolkata-based businessman and was demanding Rs 10 crore to withdraw the PIL. In initial negotiations, he came down to Rs 4 crore and finally to Rs 1 crore. The first instalment of Rs 50 lakh was paid Sunday when he was caught redhanded.
He had also told the businessman that he had connections with central agencies and would get his house and office raided. It has been learnt that he is the brain behind more than 600 PILs.
Two PILs were filed against CM Soren. One of them accused Soren of granting himself a mining lease while holding the Mining portfolio. The other stated that Soren was allegedly linked to shell companies and money laundering.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s press advisor Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu is likely to be interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Ranchi zonal office on Monday.
The ED issued summon to him on July 26 and asked him to appear before the agency for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with illegal mining on Monday.
In its ongoing extensive operation in Jharkhand, ED has already arrested Pankaj Mishra who is the MLA representative of the Chief Minister in his Assembly Constituency Berhait.
According to the ED sources, Mishra took Abhishek Prasad’s name during the interrogation and revealed a few key things, following which the ED summoned CM’s press advisor.
Mishra was arrested on July 19, after almost eight long hours of interrogation. The Special PMLA court had sent him to ED custody twice for six days each.
Meanwhile, several teams of ED conducted more searches in Sahebganj resulting in the seizure of one inland vessel namely M.V. Infralink-III.
“In connection with the ongoing investigation in the illegal mining, extortion etc in Jharkhand, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has further seized one inland vessel namely M.V.Infralink- III bearing registration number WB 1809 during a search conducted on July 26,” ED said on Wednesday.
“The said inland vessel was being operated illegally without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat, Sahebganj. It was being operated at the behest of Rajesh Yadav aka Dahu Yadav in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others for transporting illegally mined stone chips/stone boulders,” it added.
The agency further disclosed that the estimated cost of the vessel would be around Rs 30 crore.
“This was preceded by freezing of two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Bishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav along with the freezing of three HYVA trucks found at MauzaMajhikola, Sahebganj carrying illegally quarried stone chips/boulders without having any mining challans during a search conducted on July 25 by the ED,” it added further.
KOLKATA: Rajiv Kumar, the lawyer who had filed a PIL against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren over corruption, was arrested by the Kolkata Police Detective Department (DD) on charges of allegedly duping people of money.
Police said he was picked up from a bar under the Hare Street police station area executing a warrant issued against him by the Jharkhand Police.
Police claim he was arrested in a cheating case lodged against him in Jharkhand. Police found cash amounting to Rs 50 lakh with him.
As per information, he had got one PIL filed in Ranchi High Court against one Kolkata-based businessman and was demanding Rs 10 crore to withdraw the PIL. In initial negotiations, he came down to Rs 4 crore and finally to Rs 1 crore. The first instalment of Rs 50 lakh was paid Sunday when he was caught redhanded.
He had also told the businessman that he had connections with central agencies and would get his house and office raided. It has been learnt that he is the brain behind more than 600 PILs.
Two PILs were filed against CM Soren. One of them accused Soren of granting himself a mining lease while holding the Mining portfolio. The other stated that Soren was allegedly linked to shell companies and money laundering.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s press advisor Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu is likely to be interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Ranchi zonal office on Monday.
The ED issued summon to him on July 26 and asked him to appear before the agency for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with illegal mining on Monday.
In its ongoing extensive operation in Jharkhand, ED has already arrested Pankaj Mishra who is the MLA representative of the Chief Minister in his Assembly Constituency Berhait.
According to the ED sources, Mishra took Abhishek Prasad’s name during the interrogation and revealed a few key things, following which the ED summoned CM’s press advisor.
Mishra was arrested on July 19, after almost eight long hours of interrogation. The Special PMLA court had sent him to ED custody twice for six days each.
Meanwhile, several teams of ED conducted more searches in Sahebganj resulting in the seizure of one inland vessel namely M.V. Infralink-III.
“In connection with the ongoing investigation in the illegal mining, extortion etc in Jharkhand, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has further seized one inland vessel namely M.V.Infralink- III bearing registration number WB 1809 during a search conducted on July 26,” ED said on Wednesday.
“The said inland vessel was being operated illegally without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat, Sahebganj. It was being operated at the behest of Rajesh Yadav aka Dahu Yadav in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others for transporting illegally mined stone chips/stone boulders,” it added.
The agency further disclosed that the estimated cost of the vessel would be around Rs 30 crore.
“This was preceded by freezing of two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Bishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav along with the freezing of three HYVA trucks found at MauzaMajhikola, Sahebganj carrying illegally quarried stone chips/boulders without having any mining challans during a search conducted on July 25 by the ED,” it added further.
-
Honoured to lead one of the finest institutions gifted by Indian Constitution: CEC Rajiv Kumar
By IANS
NEW DELHI: After assuming the charge of 25th Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar on Sunday said that he was honoured to have been given the responsibility to lead one of the finest institutions gifted by the Indian Constitution – the institution that reinforces our democracy.
He further said that a lot has been done during the last 70 years by the Election Commission to give our citizens free and fair elections, to ensure purity of the electoral rolls, prevent malpractices and enhance the quality of our elections.
“The Commission will follow the time-tested and democratic methods of consultations and consensus building in bringing about any major reforms responsible under the Constitution, ECI will not shy away from tough decisions”, he said.
Kumar also said that technology will further be made the major instrument for simplification of processes and practices for bringing about transparency and ease of voter services for better election management and operations.
Kumar has been serving in ECI as Election Commissioner since September 1, 2020 and during his tenure as Election Commissioner, elections have been held for State Assemblies of Bihar in 2020, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal amidst Covid concerns in March-April 2021 and also elections to Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh recently in early 2022.
Sushil Chandra relinquished his charge on May 14 after completing his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner of India.
-
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar steps down for unknown reasons
By PTI
NEW DELHI: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has stepped down, sources said. The reason behind his move could not be immediately ascertained.
Kumar, an eminent economist, took over as vice chairman of NITI Aayog in August 2017 after the then Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya exited the government think-tank to return to academics. Kumar holds a DPhil in economics from Oxford University and a PhD from Lucknow University. He was also a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).
-
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar steps down, Suman K Bery to replace
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday appointed Suman K Bery as the vice chairman of NITI Aayog, following the sudden resignation of Rajiv Kumar. Bery will take charge from May 1, 2022, an official order said.
Kumar’s tenure will end on April 30. Kumar, an eminent economist, took over as vice chairman of NITI Aayog in August 2017 after the then VC Arvind Panagariya exited the government think-tank to return to academics.
According to the order, Kumar’s resignation has been accepted and he would be relieved from the post with effect from April 30. Kumar played a key role in NITI Aayog’s policy making, with focus on agriculture, asset monetisation, disinvestment, aspirational districts programme and electric vehicles, among others.
Kumar holds a DPhil in economics from Oxford University and a PhD from Lucknow University. He was also a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). Bery had earlier served as Director-General (Chief Executive) of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi.
He was also a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Statistical Commission and the Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy.
-
PMO holds ‘informal interaction’ with ECs on electoral reforms; Congress attacks Modi government
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and fellow Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anoop Chandra Pandey recently held an “informal interaction” with the Prime Minister’s Office to bridge gaps in understanding of key electoral reforms between the poll panel and the Law Ministry, with EC sources insisting on Friday that no impropriety was involved in doing so.
The commission had been pushing for reforms in electoral laws and related issues, and the virtual interaction in November was held to “bridge the gaps in understanding the points of views of the Law Ministry and the Election Commission (EC)”, they said.
Reacting to the development, the Congress on Friday hit out at the government, alleging that it was treating the EC as its “subservient tool”.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala charged that the government has fallen to a new low in destroying institutions in the country.
“Cat is out of the bag! What was whispered till now is a fact. PMO summoning ECI was unheard of in independent India. Treating EC as a subservient tool is yet another low in Modi government’s record of destroying every institution,” Surjewala said.
The EC sources said amid a series of correspondence between the government and the poll panel on electoral reforms, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) took the lead in organising the “informal interaction” with the three commissioners.
Responding to a news report published on Friday that the Law Ministry had sent a letter to the EC saying that the principal secretary to the prime minister will chair a meeting on common electoral roll and “expects the CEC” to be present, the sources said the three commissioners did not attend that formal meeting.
Responding to the news report, former chief election commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi said it was “absolutely shocking”.
When asked to explain his remarks, he said his words have summed up everything.
The sources said senior EC officials attended the formal meeting, besides officials from the Law Ministry.
The Legislative Department in the Law Ministry is the nodal agency for EC-related matters.
The sources said the result of the informal interaction with the PMO resulted in the Union Cabinet on Wednesday clearing various electoral reforms that the EC had been insisting be brought in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
One of the reforms is linking Aadhaar with electoral rolls on a voluntary basis.
The other will allow eligible young people to register as voters on four dates every year.
As of now there is one qualifying date — January 1 of every year — to register as a voter for those who have turned 18 or above on January 1.
The sources pointed out that crucial electoral reforms have been pending for the last 25 years.
The EC had been writing to the government for pushing reforms and the Law Ministry had been seeking clarifications.
The informal interaction, the sources said, helped bridge the gaps in understanding on key issues.
“Reforms have to be done like that,” a senior EC functionary said.
There is no impropriety in pushing for reforms, the sources asserted.
They reminded that CECs have written letters to law ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and incumbent Kiren Rijiju, seeking their help in implementing electoral reforms.
Usually, law ministers and legislative secretaries have been meeting the commissioners on various issues at the Nirvachan Sadan.
The commissioners never call on the ministers as part of protocol since the EC is an independent Constitutional body.
Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday submitted a notice to move an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha on the “summoning” of the EC for a meeting in the PMO to discuss electoral reforms.
In the notice, he raised questions on the autonomy of the poll panel, but Lok Sabha was adjourned amid uproar over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The former information and broadcasting minister said he will submit the notice to move the adjournment motion again on Monday.
“Why was the Election Commission summoned summarily and whether it is a fact that the commission took umbrage to the manner in which they were virtually compelled to attend the meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office,” Tewari said.
-
Citing climate change, NITI Aayog vice-chairman warns against consumerism
By PTI
AHMEDABAD: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday referred to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and said it is time to shift the focus from consumption to conservation.
If urgent steps were not taken to reverse the damage caused by climate change, a disaster is in store, he said.
Kumar was speaking after launching an MBA program in `Agripreneurship and Value Chain Management’ of the Indian Institute of Sustainability (IIS) of Gujarat University.
“I appeal to all of you to not fall prey to a consumerist culture. I think time has come to show off how much you conserve and not consume,” he said.
The way forward is less consumption of natural resources, more innovation of materials using less resources and recycling of these resources, Kumar added.
“There is a lot to be gained and achieved in conservation, in minimizing our needs and wants rather than being in a consumer society,” he said, adding that Indian society traditionally created very little waste and “use and throw” was not a part of its culture.
The IPCC report, which underlines that Earth can provide for our needs but not for our greed, is where “we need to think about how we want to go forward and think about our future,” Kumar said.
“Economics” is defined as a science of “limited means and unlimited demands”, but now it should be redefined as a “science of limited means but rational and not unlimited demands,” he said.
“In our Indian tradition, this is a real fact. We have always believed our needs have to be rational, changing according to our age, and has to include a component of satisfaction from material consumption. We have to think new, out of the box, differently, and in line with our tradition and our own civilization,” the Niti Aayog vice chairman added.
The new ‘agropreneurship’ course was a wonderful idea, Kumar said, adding that the agro-processing sector gives highest rates of return.
He also asked the institute to work on “Gross Environment Product,” and appreciated that it will also focus on “agro ecology” which can help achieve “better soil conditions, lower water use and ensure better health for those who consume natural products”.
Kumar also launched the university’s Institute of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Skills (IIES) and `Gujarat University Dr Jaimin Vasa MSME Chair’. Earlier in the day, he met Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel.
“Kumar expressed satisfaction with the effective implementation of Gujarat government’s agriculture, energy, rural development, water management and irrigation schemes.
He said the unique achievement of Gujarat in FDI should now be compared with that of developed countries,” said a government release.
-
Jharkhand cop death: Demand for initiating contempt proceedings against Advocate General
By PTI
RANCHI: An interlocutory application demanding contempt of court proceedings against Advocate General of Jharkhand and Additional Advocate General for “conduct against dignity” was filed with the Jharkhand High Court during hearing of the death case of Rupa Tirkey, a sub-inspector of police, on behalf of the applicant.
It has been said in the application that the behaviour of Advocate General Rajiv Kumar and Additional Advocate General Sachin Kumar during the last hearing was contrary to the dignity of the court and therefore a case of contempt of court should be initiated against them.
After this, the bench on Thursday, while issuing notices to the Advocate General and Additional Advocate General, has fixed the matter for hearing on August 31.
During the last hearing of Rupa Tirkey’s case, Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan told Justice SK Dwivedi that he should not hear the matter now.
The Advocate General had told the court that after the hearing of the case was over on August 11, the microphone of the petitioner’s advocate had remained on.
He was telling his client that the decision of the matter was bound to come in his favour and two hundred per cent CBI inquiry is fixed in this case.
When the counsel for the applicant is making such a claim, the bench is urged not to hear the matter.
The court asked the Advocate General to present what he was saying in the court through an affidavit.
But the Advocate General refused to file the affidavit and said that his oral statement was sufficient.
After this, the bench, recording the statement of the Advocate General, referred the matter to the Chief Justice.
During this, the bench said that even if a common man raises questions in court, then it is not in accordance with the dignity of the judiciary.
The bench said that when this question has arisen, the Chief Justice should decide which bench will hear the matter.
But Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan has again sent the matter to the bench of Justice SK Dwivedi for hearing.
Rupa Tirkey’s father Devanand Oraon has filed a petition in the High Court demanding a CBI inquiry into the matter.
The petitioner claimed that Rupa Tirkey has not committed suicide, but has been murdered and the police is giving it the colour of suicide by calling it a case of love affair.
The circumstances in which the body was found after his daughter’s death suggest that it was not a suicide.
The court was told that there is a person with political clout named Pankaj Mishra in Sahibganj and that person is under suspicion.
After Rupa’s death, Pankaj Mishra has spoken to the SIT chief, Deputy Superintendent of Police, several times.
Presenting the call details of Pankaj Mishra in the court, the counsel for the petitioner Devanand said that he had constant talks with the SP, DC and DSP.
The court was told that Rupa Tirkey was probing several important cases.
Due to this a conspiracy was hatched to kill her and Pankaj Mishra and some policemen were allegedly involved in it.
A police sub-inspector of the 2018 batch, Tirkey had died allegedly by suicide in early May at her government accommodation at Sahebganj.
-
‘Punish me, but absolve poll body of doubts’: CEC Rajiv Kumar in affidavit that couldn’t be filed
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Deferring some phases of the recently-held assembly polls due to the coronavirus pandemic could have led to a situation where holding the remaining phases under President’s rule would have triggered sharper criticism about the poll panel favouring one party against another, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said in a draft affidavit which he planned to file in the Madras High Court and later in the Supreme Court.In the draft affidavit, which could not be filed due to procedural reasons, Kumar also offered to quit and volunteered for personal punishment, saying that the institution “needs to be absolved of the doubts cast on it to save the democracy” lest everyone else start making insinuations and allegations in much more magnified, exponentially derogatory terms”.
Sources said Kumar had proposed to file this affidavit in response to observations made by the Madras High Court that the poll panel was singularly responsible for the surge in COVID-19 cases and murder charges be put on its responsible officers.
The draft affidavit did not form part of the Election Commission of India’s application filed in Madras High Court and its plea in the Supreme Court seeking expunction of the remarks made by the high court, but the apex court did not allow the plea, saying the oral observations were not part of “official judicial record” and hence there was no question of expunging them.
Sources in the EC said an “additional affidavit” by Kumar was technically not possible at that time as per the advice of the counsel.
When contacted, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra told PTI, “At this time of the coronavirus pandemic, we should all work for the care of those suffering from COVID-19 and this particular issue (of Madras High Court making observations against the EC) has been settled by the honourable Supreme Court and the ground of the Commission has been allowed.
It has been upheld that the comments by the Honourable Madras High Court were absolutely inappropriate. the issue has been settled by the SC.”
“My request is that every person should work towards fighting the pandemic rather than talking about any of these issues, especially when the matter has been settled by the SC,” Chandra said.
Sources said the ‘miscellaneous application filed before the Madras HC and the SLP before the apex court was duly approved by both CEC Chandra and EC Kumar.
Chandra was Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) before joining the poll panel.
Kumar has previously held positions of Financial Services Secretary and Finance Secretary, where he is known to have played a critical role in brokering peace between the RBI and the government over sharing of excess reserves of the central bank.
“Be it recapitalisation of PSBs, the economic capital framework for RBI which was finalised by the Expert Committee under the chairmanship of Bimal Jalan after Kumar became its member upon his being appointed as Finance Secretary, or the legislative changes for strengthening the regulation and supervision of cooperative banks, I found that he displayed a problem-solving approach that hinged on maintaining and promoting institutional strength and integrity” former RBI Deputy Governor N S Vishwanathan said.
Referring to Kumar’s tenure in Finance Ministry, the Indian Banks’ Association CEO and former managing director of Punjab National Bank Sunil Mehta said he saved the reputation and integrity of the banking system by providing support in the form of capital, cleaning up the balance sheet and initiating various reforms.
Institution of PSBs and for that matter entire banking owes a lot to him, Mehta added.
In the draft affidavit, Kumar is learnt to have said that clubbing of phases in the West Bengal polls to curb the spread of COVID-19 was also not possible under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Kumar volunteered for punishment on a personal basis and appealed that the accusations on the institution may be taken back.
He said that nearly 11 lakh personnel deployed in recent elections, many of whom were frontline workers facing COVID-19 onslaught, would be demoralised and cannot be “a mute spectator to such downgrading of an institution”.
He is understood to have said that as an election commissioner he cannot escape his individual responsibility and wanted to leave it to the judgement of the court to punish in the manner the court was pleased to so decide.
The option of deferring some phases was also actively considered.
However, if, even temporary disfranchising of voters was considered as an option, the massive hue and cry and popular discontentment it could have caused were also taken into account, he said in the draft.
Implications of not completing elections timely, possibly leading to a situation of conducting at a later stage under extended-term or President’s rule might be much more damaging and attract sharper objections of favouring one and acting against another, he said in the draft affidavit.
Kumar underlined the fact that many of those working for the elections have lost their near and dear ones during their period of duty.
Kumar said that when “murderers”, the description used by the High Court, head or remain part of the ECI, voters in general and contesting candidates and political parties, in particular, cannot trust it to hold free, fair, transparent elections.
Talking about far-reaching implications in such a scenario, Kumar said if candidates start doubting results outside a counting hall due to lack of faith in ECI, the kind of law and order the country would face is unimaginable.
Calling for respect among institutions, he is understood to have said that unfortunately, of late civility and respect for mutual domains is increasingly becoming the greatest casualty in public and political discourse, making it difficult to conduct elections or for that matter to take any policy decision by any institution or regulatory authority.
The mutual respect, restraint, civility in the level of discourse at least amongst the national and constitutional institutions meant to protect the very democracy and the rule of law cannot be or perceived to have been given up, he is learnt to have said.
PTI DP/NAB BJ BJ 05071740 NNNN